CNN
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Former President Donald Trump’s campaign stirred up new controversy this week when he visited Arlington National Cemetery to draw attention to the disorderly 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
Two Trump campaign officials said someone physically prevented Trump’s team from accompanying him during the visit on Monday. A cemetery spokesperson confirmed to CNN that “an incident occurred” and that “a report has been filed,” but did not provide details.
Trump’s visit to the cemetery followed a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 13 US soldiers killed at Abbey Gate in Kabul airport. The Trump campaign posted a video on TikTok of the former president’s visit to the cemetery on the three-year anniversary of the tragedy.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested the incident was due to his campaign’s use of the photo and shared a statement of support from the fallen soldier’s family.
“We authorized President Trump’s official videographer and photographer to participate in the ceremony to ensure these sacred moments of remembrance were respectfully recorded and that we can cherish these memories forever,” the families said.
But federal law prohibits political campaigning or election-related activity at the Army National Cemetery, according to a statement from Arlington National Cemetery obtained by CNN.
The cemetery said it “thoroughly communicated this law and its prohibitions to all attendees,” including “photographers, content creators or others attending for a specific purpose or in direct support of a partisan political candidate’s campaign.”
Trump’s post came after NPR reported on “an altercation and a physical confrontation.” A source familiar with the incident told the outlet that cemetery staff had tried to stop Trump’s team from taking photos and videos in the area where recent American victims are buried. In response, Trump campaign staff “used verbal abuse and shoved the staff members away,” NPR reported.
Trump spokesman Steven Chang disputed the allegations that there was a physical confrontation, but said an anonymous individual decided to “physically disrupt a member of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony.” Chang suggested that Trump’s team has video to back up the allegation.
Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita shared the same story with CNN, saying in a statement that “President Trump attended at the invitation of the Abbey Gate Gold Star Families to honor their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”
“The despicable individuals who physically obstruct President Trump’s team from accompanying him to this solemn event are shameful and unfit to represent our hollow people.” [sic] “Whoever is spreading this lie on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery is dishonoring the men and women of our military and disrespecting all who have sacrificed to protect our country,” LaCivita continued.
Senator J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, dismissed the incident as a “minor disagreement” and said the families “had him there to support them.”
“There is verifiable evidence that the campaign allowed photographers to be there,” Vance told reporters in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he was campaigning on Wednesday. “There is verifiable evidence that there were families of these poor people who lost loved ones three years ago at Abbey Road, no, at Abbey Gate. Thirteen Americans, many of them were there with the president.”
Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia called on Arlington officials to release a report on the incident during the visit, questioning Trump’s intentions and calling his team’s actions “abhorrent and disgraceful.”
“I call on Arlington National Cemetery to make public all that happened yesterday so the American people can ensure that the ground where our nation’s heroes are buried is not desecrated by a man who has no concept of service and sacrifice,” the congressman said.
This story has been updated to include additional developments and a full statement from the Trump campaign’s campaign manager.
CNN’s Kit Maher and Rashad Rose contributed to this report.
